SALT LAKE CITY — Al Jefferson can't contain the giddiness he feels to play for the Utah Jazz.

And he isn't just playing it up to the local crowd, either.

In a recent interview with Yahoo! Sports, the new big man on the block went on about how pumped he is to be on a team people recognize and respect compared to playing in relative anonymity in Minnesota.

"(S)ome people didn't even know they had a team. ... Everyone knows the Utah Jazz," Jefferson told NBA writer Marc Spears. "I go from being in a Toyota to a Bentley. It's a beautiful thing."

Jefferson told Yahoo! he was stoked to hear Deron Williams say he'd help make the 6-10 center an All-Star, calling it "music to my ears." He's hopeful they can help the Jazz one-up the Karl Malone and John Stockton era.

"One reason I came to Utah is so me and Deron could grow old together and win a championship," Jefferson said. "No disrespect (to Stockton and Malone) ... I hope we are better and we win a championship."